Magicmillbrook
Well-Known Member
Sorry if this is a bit long, but I am after some advice/thoughts.
We purchased a rising 5 3/4 ID 2 years ago (nearly), newly imported from Ireland, good breeding, supposedly broken and working well and hunted, passed vetting, although vet remarked that his hind end was underdeveloped, but likely to build up with correct work.
- A few weeks later farrier commented that he had shivers (right hind), not picked up on vetting but seems intermittent.
- A month on later daughter started ridden work(having had to wait for saddler) daughter was having major problems with napping and cantering
- Spoke to vet and had physio out, she said he was very immature and uncoordinated, treat him like a newly broken 3 yo and take things slowly, vet agreed.
- 1 year later, hacking out but still very poor in canter, plunging and finding great difficulty, not happy with instructor who's advice was use more leg
- During this time constant loose stools
- Spoke to vet again, he took stool sample to test for blood serum (precursor to scoping for ulcers), came back fine, watched horse trotting up and on circles, no lameness or obv problems
- Tried coligone - 3 months later stools now firmer (not totally formed), only occasional looseness
- Changed instructors - new instructor agreed that horse not lame but not moving right, recommended an equine body worker who works with her physio
- Had equine body worker who said he seemed to be using stabilizing muscles for movement and was very tight through gluts and ham strings, gave lots of exercises to help stabilize and stretch
- 18 months into ownership (9 months or so of equine body work), walk and trot much better,will hack out (though still spooky), still can't canter, also sometimes falling in with front end on circle. Equine body worker felt he should have shown more improvement so recommended physio
- Had new physio out 3 weeks ago, again no lameness, over developed gluts, no restriction in mobility or pain response, some tightness through lumbar area but not 'terrible', but clearly not stepping under, this is affecting his front end and also putting strain on his hind suspensory ligaments at his fetlocks are dropping almost to the ground. Did some mobilizations work on his lumbar area and prescribed carrot stretches, she is back in 2 weeks.
- He also seems quite lethargic
- in the stable he seems to move around awkwardly
- in field at play he will canter and rear/buck, more now than he originally did but seems 'cumbersome'
- rests a hind leg a lot, rarely stands square
- Instructor said perhaps to try a bute trial to see if it was pain related.
- Teeth checked 6 monthly, saddle checked 3 monthly
- He lives out 24/7 spring summer, through winter he is stabled at night
- Fed ad lib hay, grass nuts, sugar beet, chaff, feedbalancer and linseed
Anyone had any experience of something similar? He will be 7 in March and he is still only walking, trotting and doing walk/trot poles he was purchased with a view to doing all RC activities and potential low level eventing. I have been googling too much, and have filled my head with EPMS, Kissing Spines, Ulcers - you name it. I will follow the Physio's instructions (highly respected equine physio who works at WHW) and follow this avenue through, but just wondering what avenue to try next if we still don't get any improvement.
We purchased a rising 5 3/4 ID 2 years ago (nearly), newly imported from Ireland, good breeding, supposedly broken and working well and hunted, passed vetting, although vet remarked that his hind end was underdeveloped, but likely to build up with correct work.
- A few weeks later farrier commented that he had shivers (right hind), not picked up on vetting but seems intermittent.
- A month on later daughter started ridden work(having had to wait for saddler) daughter was having major problems with napping and cantering
- Spoke to vet and had physio out, she said he was very immature and uncoordinated, treat him like a newly broken 3 yo and take things slowly, vet agreed.
- 1 year later, hacking out but still very poor in canter, plunging and finding great difficulty, not happy with instructor who's advice was use more leg
- During this time constant loose stools
- Spoke to vet again, he took stool sample to test for blood serum (precursor to scoping for ulcers), came back fine, watched horse trotting up and on circles, no lameness or obv problems
- Tried coligone - 3 months later stools now firmer (not totally formed), only occasional looseness
- Changed instructors - new instructor agreed that horse not lame but not moving right, recommended an equine body worker who works with her physio
- Had equine body worker who said he seemed to be using stabilizing muscles for movement and was very tight through gluts and ham strings, gave lots of exercises to help stabilize and stretch
- 18 months into ownership (9 months or so of equine body work), walk and trot much better,will hack out (though still spooky), still can't canter, also sometimes falling in with front end on circle. Equine body worker felt he should have shown more improvement so recommended physio
- Had new physio out 3 weeks ago, again no lameness, over developed gluts, no restriction in mobility or pain response, some tightness through lumbar area but not 'terrible', but clearly not stepping under, this is affecting his front end and also putting strain on his hind suspensory ligaments at his fetlocks are dropping almost to the ground. Did some mobilizations work on his lumbar area and prescribed carrot stretches, she is back in 2 weeks.
- He also seems quite lethargic
- in the stable he seems to move around awkwardly
- in field at play he will canter and rear/buck, more now than he originally did but seems 'cumbersome'
- rests a hind leg a lot, rarely stands square
- Instructor said perhaps to try a bute trial to see if it was pain related.
- Teeth checked 6 monthly, saddle checked 3 monthly
- He lives out 24/7 spring summer, through winter he is stabled at night
- Fed ad lib hay, grass nuts, sugar beet, chaff, feedbalancer and linseed
Anyone had any experience of something similar? He will be 7 in March and he is still only walking, trotting and doing walk/trot poles he was purchased with a view to doing all RC activities and potential low level eventing. I have been googling too much, and have filled my head with EPMS, Kissing Spines, Ulcers - you name it. I will follow the Physio's instructions (highly respected equine physio who works at WHW) and follow this avenue through, but just wondering what avenue to try next if we still don't get any improvement.